Breathless
by koswarg
Summary: [DracoParvati] Draco takes offense to something Parvati says and feels compelled to prove her wrong.


Lavender hummed to herself, spinning in circles around their dormitory. 

"For Merlin's sake, it wasn't all _that_ amazing," Parvati said after a while, rolling her eyes.

"I told you, didn't I?" Lavender asked excitedly, ignoring her best friend's disinterested attitude.

Parvati smiled despite herself, looking up from the magazine in front of her. "You did," she conceded, glad to see Lavender so happy, even if she was being annoying. Really, really annoying.

"Do you think he heard me cheering for him?" she continued in the same bubbly tone, eyes alight with joy.

"Of course," Parvati replied dryly, not bothering to mention the fact that she probably hadn't been heard over the _other_ thousand students in the stadium. But there was no need to burst her bubble, not when she was in such an amiable mood.

"I bet Malfoy feels silly now," Lavender said, with an air of satisfaction. Parvati merely grunted in response, hoping that her aloofness would deter Lavender from the subject of Draco Malfoy. Unfortunately for her, Lavender was a bit sharper than she looked.

"Is something wrong?" Lavender asked curiously, pulling down the magazine so that she could make eye contact. Parvati sighed in resignation. She didn't like lying to Lavender, but there were some things you just didn't share. Even with your best friend.

---

Parvati prided herself on the fact that she didn't lose her temper often. A rare quality for a Gryffindor, she was aware. There was one subject, however, that tended to make her lose her cool, especially when she wasn't expecting it.

And, well, she certainly hadn't expected to run into Draco Malfoy in an empty corridor, and she _especially_ hadn't expected him to condescend to speak to her.

"I can't believe that you keep such idiots for company," he said, causing her to stop in her tracks, despite the logical voice in her head that was telling her to keep moving. But she knew he was referring to Lavender, and the thought made her blood boil.

"Honestly, the Weasel? How low can her standards be?"

"If I'm not mistaken, _Malfoy_," she said, with as much condescension as she could muster, "You were just beaten by that 'weasel.'" She still hadn't turned around to look at him, though, judging from his stunned silence, she imagined that the look on his face was a sight.

"If that's all?" she said, not bothering to wait for an answer as she stalked off towards Gryffindor Tower.

"It's not," he said, stepping in front of her. "You shouldn't let your friend act like such an idiot," Parvati's teeth clenched, "And for what? The Weasel's attention? What a waste."

Parvati was staring daggers at him, trying very hard to keep her fist from flying into his face. To tell the truth, Ron wasn't exactly who she would've picked, but if that's who Lavender wanted, she would do whatever she could to help. Lavender was her best friend, and Parvati wanted her to be happy. Even if that meant having to endure her making those embarrassing facial expressions and odd noises whenever Ron was around.

"What's it to you?"

Draco was staring right back, and Parvati was having a hard time figuring out why he _cared_. Maybe he had nothing better to do. Or maybe...

"Wait a moment...do you...you don't..._like_ Lavender, do you?" she asked, her anger quickly becoming replaced by amusement.

"What! No!" he insisted, flushing. "To think, _me_, with a crush on that empty-headed..."

"Enough," she interrupted, before her temper had a chance to flare up again. "You don't have to explain yourself to me, Malfoy, I really couldn't care less."

He made a series of indignant noises, still flustered, and apparently offended that she didn't believe him. "I don't--she--"

Parvati tried to push him aside; as amusing as his speechlessness was, she didn't want to hang around here all day. Draco seemed alarmed that she was leaving; his hand shot out to grab her wrist, preventing her from going too far.

"Let me--"

Parvati wasn't able to finish her statement, because before she could react, Malfoy's lips were crashing down onto her own, and she was back-pedaling towards the wall. _What is this bloody idiot doing?_

She shoved him away forcefully. They looked at each other for a short, confused moment, before Draco took off down the corridor, as if running for his life. Parvati stood against the wall for a few more minutes, looking after him with a bewildered look, and feeling oddly breathless.

---

"Are you sure nothing's wrong?" Lavender asked, looking at Parvati with concern. Parvati waved off her question.

"It's nothing," she responded, smiling to herself.


End file.
